- Wins nation’s first-ever Men’s javelin gold
Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage clinched the gold medal in the Men’s javelin throw at the ongoing 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan on Monday (28).
Pathirage took the lead with a throw of 88.33 metres in his third attempt at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium and held onto his position to secure the historic Gold, while bettering the distance in the final attempt with a throw of 88.55 metres.
India’s Yashvir Singh won the Silver with a throw of 84.72 metres, while compatriot Rohit Yadav claimed the Bronze with a distance of 84.35 metres. Sri Lanka’s Sumedha Ranasinghe ended sixth with a throw of 78.08 metres.
Tharanga’s famous victory also marked Sri Lanka’s first gold medal at this year’s edition of the Asian Games with the island nation having secured Silver in the Women’s Cricket event earlier.
By virtue of his momentous triumph, Tharanga becomes the first-ever Sri Lankan male athlete to grab Gold in the javelin event in the history of the Asian Games.
The victory adds another major international title to Tharanga’s breakthrough 2026 season, following his gold medal at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Pathirage, who is currently ranked world No. 1 in Men’s javelin, holds a personal best and Sri Lankan record of 92.62 metres, achieved at the Rome Diamond League in June.
He entered the Asian Games as one of Sri Lanka’s leading medal prospects after a series of record-breaking performances this year.
Among the medals won by Tharanga in the current season has been the World Ultimate Gold, Diamond League gold, Commonwealth Gold, South Asian Championships Gold 2025 Ranchi, 2xAsian Throwing Championships Gold.
His Asian Games success also comes in the aftermath of Turkish Airlines having broken all five of his 92m javelins on flight TK730 Budapest-Istanbul-Colombo.
Following the damage caused to his javelins the Ministry of Sports committed itself to purchase a new set of javelins to the athlete who has now become Sri Lanka’s biggest hope for a maiden Olympic Gold-with the island nation having won only two Silvers thus far.